One sweater, three ways

I found this adorable Valentine cardigan in the sale room (!!) at Anthropologie last week and I'm in love.

Here it is, worn three different ways: dressed down with my favorite high-waisted jeans; dressed up with a silk camisole and graphic print tea-length skirt; and mixed and matched with a tee and bird-print wide legs trousers. 

Which look do you like best?

Find the sweater here!

This is Saturday night

Coke bottle glasses.
Tired eyes.
Disheveled hair.
Zitty chin.

This is the epitome of sexiness, folks.


How to keep your eyes healthy. (WedMD)

Five fun things

We're in the middle of a deep freeze here but I refuse to let that dampen my spirit. Here are five fun things that happened this week. Because sharing is caring, after all.

love, -j.

***

Neon orange lipstick (see above), because why not?

Marc Jacobs and the close of NYFW, written with heart. 
(Man Repeller)

Eight fun Instagram accounts. (Cup of Jo)

These breathtaking government buildings are a testament to architectural achievement. (Slate)

James Corden drops another fantastic carpool karaoke bit, this time with Sia.


Slate link via Girls of a Certain Age.

CLE pride

Like my new bag?

The best part is it's made from recycled materials, is 100% cool and was given to me by a really good friend. She got it at Heights Arts, the non-profit community arts organization here in Cleveland that supports local artists and facilitates public art and design projects.

Win win win all around.


39 things I love about Cleveland.

Favorite posts of 2015

Perhaps you're like me and can't believe another year has zipped by without warning. It's as if 2015 stopped by to say a little hello and then Poof! Goodbye, love. That was a nice visit! 

I look back on this past year and feel a sense of gratitude and accomplishment. Thankfulness for another year of doing what I love: writing, exploring new places, being mom to my two favorite little people, and plotting adventures with my partner and fellow dreamer.  

As I looked through nearly 200 posts from 2015 I pulled my favorite ones. They run the gamut from design and style to artist profiles, regular series (Women and clothes, Fashion prodigy and Sex and the single girl, for example) and everything in between. I wanted to take a moment and say THANK YOU for taking the time to visit and for being the motivation of why I do this blogging thing. It's the hardest but most rewarding thing I've done so far in my career. 

Enjoy the reads below and Happy New Year!!

love, -j. 

***    

Two gorgeous and inspiring Cleveland homes.

Fashion and beauty musings: how to style overalls; Tevas, harem pants and other fashion sins; my daughter just slays it with her fashion instincts; I love Anthropologie; my hair went through a lot of changes in 2015; the power of makeup; finding the perfect purple lip color; best cheap nail polish; and liquid eyeliners for under $10.

On being a woman and loving clothes: Helen Kim, Kristin Davidson, Dominique Lee, Hilary Bovay, Courtney McCrone, Debbie Council, Danielle Wood Bolin & Anna Wood, Shiho Johnson, Lydia Goossens, Jennifer Slagle and Yours Truly.

Advice on how to cultivate your allure.

This year, #ProjectCaden made its social media debut. Now the world is watching this dream come to life!

Celebrated love, -j. milestones in 2015, including a redesign and hitting 100,000 page views!! Hooray!

My friend David Sandler shared what it's like to be a relief worker in northern Iraq.

Why the shootings in Charleston affected me so much.

Thoughts on parenting: why raising kids can be all joy and no fun, we have a power stronger than gravity itself, wickedly funny things kids do, making a case for NOT having children, the lost art of phone etiquette, and the photos I found in my cell phone.

Happiness is when you accept your 40-year-old body and when you wake up the morning after ballet class and everything hurts like hell.

Three things that changed my life in 2015: oregano oil, Mario Badescu drying lotion, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Making beautiful, hand-crafted leather goods in Cleveland.

Speaking of Cleveland, you gotta be tough! Subzero weather and fierce snowstorms made for some beautiful and spooky ice sculptures on Lake Erie.

Just for fun: a coffee cup that says it all, Sia's Red Carpet genius at the Grammys, an explanation for millenial behavior, daring to dream, and finding beauty in the most unexpected places.

   
Opening photo by Jeffrey Goodman.
Illustration by Phoebe Thomas.
FOUNT photo by Hilary Bovay.

Chop chop (my hair makeover, part II)

It's just too fun NOT to experiment with one's hair. So I decided to change it up for fall. Goodbye California beach girl. I've unleashed the Anna Wintour in me.

Where are my big-ass sunglasses?


Chop chop, part I.

Overalls, three ways

Overalls are back! Well, for this gal with Midwest roots they never went out of style (I guess you can take the girl out of Iowa but you can never take Iowa out of the girl!). 

This fall trend is a tricky one because overalls by themselves are not chic. Dowdy, shapeless and utilitarian -- yes. Modern, fashion-forward and feminine -- no. But perhaps these three looks will change your mind.

The most important thing is the fit.

Look for a pair that will flatter your figure. "Skinny" overalls that are fitted in the waist and slim in the legs will be your best bet. The pair I'm wearing are Mossimo denim overalls from Target (cheap and chic at $34.99). This pair from Madewell is super cute, as are these from J.Crew and Anthropologie.  

Look #1 (above)
My favorite thing to do when I get dressed is to do something unexpected. Who would think a polka dot button-down shirt would coordinate well with overalls and red suede pumps? It's a fun way to simultaneously dress up overalls and dress down high heels. The pumps are from Aldo (no longer available), but you can find similar heels at Target and if you want to break the bank Saint Laurent has a killer pair!

Look #2 (below)
Overalls with a ruffled silk blouse and pointy-toe flats. I love this look because it's versatile. You can do school drop off, casual Friday at work, and date night -- all in one day. By the way, these cobalt blue Sam Edelman flats are everything!     

Look #3 (below)
Admittedly, this look is a bit more Farmer John. But I would take my kids to the playground or run errands in this outfit. My best friend designed this fitted sweatshirt when she worked at Nordstrom, back in the day. You can find something similar, like this shrunken sweatshirt from Urban Outfitters. And you can do no wrong when wearing leopard print slip-on sneakers! Mine are Kenneth Cole Reaction (sadly, sold out) but Vans and H&M make them, too.  

How do you like to wear overalls? 

Send me your looks. I wanna see!


Navy nails and my big hair makeover.

Asphalt oil painting

I was in the Whole Foods parking lot yesterday morning, the asphalt below me smelling of sweet summer rain. As I was helping my daughter out of the back seat she noticed the ground below, "Wow, Mommy look! It's a rainbow!" 

The oil left behind by all of our cars mixed with fresh rainwater created this beautiful swirl of iridescent colors. Nature's painting. Right at my feet.


Do the jitterbug. 

Chop chop (my hair makeover)

I did it, friends! 

I'm officially a part of the #ShortHairDontCare sisterhood. Though I loved having long, mermaid hair I must say I feel liberated, lighter and sassier with my new 'do.

Sometimes you've got to let go of the things you hold on to most. For me, it was my down-to-the-middle-of-my-back locks. Somehow long hair translated to youthfulness in my mind. The longer it was, the younger I felt. Perhaps growing it was my way of triumphantly saying, "Take that!" to Mother Nature, especially after I entered my 40s. It took me two years to grow my hair this long. Like I said, sometimes you've got to let things go.

Now that hotter weather is here I've reverted to a topknot or high bun or worse -- the sloppy half ponytail. And because my hair is dense a topknot or bun results in a royal headache by the end of the day. Yes, sometimes beauty calls for pain (high heels, waxing your eyebrows, etc.) but feeling like there's a giant vise grip squeezing your temples is just not worth it.

Thankfully, my good friend and hair artist extraordinaire Jessica Pierce of Stile Studio in Tarzana did the honors. Seeing how I'm in California for the summer and inspired by Jessica's own hair transformation, I decided it was the perfect time to take the plunge.

Goodbye, mermaid hair! 

     C-H-O-P  C-H-O-P ! ! !

          And just like that.

               Eight inches gone!

Jessica achieved this textured bob by over-directing vertically with an undercut technique. In non-hair design speak, she basically "scooped" out the weight and created a shattered look with blended layers.

This chic, modern haircut is definitely more high-maintenance than my previous look (and Jessica warned me beforehand that it would take more effort). But she recommended that I use this curling iron to achieve those textured, beachy waves.
  

Thank you, Jess!! I love my new look! 

You're a hair genius.

Teetering in dangerously high heels.

My shorts dilemma

While I'm happy with this selfie and how I look in these striped and lace navy shorts with scalloped hem I must give credit to the heels I'm wearing. They make my legs look longer than they really are. Which makes the shorts flattering. I guarantee if I was wearing flats or my favorite sandals it would be an altogether different look (think tree stumps).

My fashion dilemma this summer? Finding the perfect shorts.

Unfortunately short shorts are the only things I can find out there. I won't do cut-off jean shorts (those days are over and why would I want to traipse around like a high schooler?). And I don't dare try the really teeny-tiny ridiculously short looks-like-underwear jean shorts. Never. Then again, I don't want to wear dowdy Bermuda shorts.  

So these are the only shorts I own right now. My ratty, beat-up, cut-off sweatpants. They are so comfortable but I will only wear them at home. Is there something in between Bermuda shorts and really short shorts that are cute, flattering and most importantly, comfortable?

Suggestions? Help! 


Finding shorts for your body type. (Women's Health)

This week's obsession: Birkenstocks

While you will never find Tevas in my closet, I do make an exception for Birkenstocks. Love them or hate them, these ubiquitous sandals (the first Birks were made in 1774!) ignited the "ugly-chic" footwear revolution last summer.

The first time I wore Birkenstock sandals was in high school. My father thought they were the most heinous things. "Now why would you wear those?!" he asked, baffled. I think he actually shielded his eyes from my feet. 

As any teenager would, I completely ignored his sentiment and proudly wore my dorky orthopedic sandals everywhere. I loved them so much I brought them with me to college. UC Berkeley and Birks? No brainer.

And here I am, 18 years later and slipping my feet into a brand new pair. And oh joy! They're silver!

Ugly chic is here to stay.     


How to wear Birkenstocks and still look chic. (The Gloss)

Anthropologie summer fashion show

Girls love to dress up, sometimes for no reason at all. We must be subconsciously channeling the little girl in us. Did you ever sneak into your mother's closet and try on her dresses? I remember the hem of my mom's yellow tea dress reaching down to my toes, making me look like I was wearing a fancy evening gown.

I recently had the opportunity to play dress up at an Anthropologie Summer Fashion Show hosted by the store I work at in Cleveland. It's an invite-only event highlighting new products and showcasing the upcoming season's trends, followed by every girly girl's favorite thing to do: shop (we close the store for the entire event). Our fashion shows are so much fun! 

Here are four outfits I modeled for the show: (L) a "painted" short-sleeve sweatshirt tee paired with my favorite shorts (navy stripes and lace overlay with a scalloped hemline); (R) a delicate halter tank with these super comfy chambray trousers. And the heels -- suede platforms with classic hardware -- aren't they adorable? 

The above looks are some of the pretty spring/summer dresses you'll find in the store. (L) I loved this muted fit-and-flare shirtdress with front tie. (R) And my favorite dress of all is this beautiful floral organza garden dress.    

We also had a special pint-sized model that evening. Talk about girls who love to dress up. This little one is no exception!

A few snaps "backstage": Anna and Lauren doing our hair and makeup.

Sam and Jade resting before the show. (Phew! It's hard work being a model!)

My infinitely talented friend Jennifer catered AND co-hosted the event.

A group pic of all the models in the show (all but two of us work at the store!). I love the diverse representation of ethnicities, body types and age. It goes to show that fashion knows no boundaries.

  
And lastly, Izzy with her friend Mel after the show. Just a few antics represented here. ;)

Fashion prodigy loves Anthropologie.

This week's obsession: berry-stained nails

This pretty nail color from Maybelline is the latest beauty find I wanted to share with you. It's got this beautiful pinkish purple hue (makes me think about juicy berries at my fingertips). The first coat goes on like a lovely wash of fuchsia watercolor. The more layers you apply, the darker and more opaque it gets.

The best part? 

It's only three buckaroos at your local drugstore! 
  

Galaxy nails. (A Cup of Jo)

Spring makeover with Dior

Spring is here and so are all the pretty colors! 

The wonderful folks at Christian Dior Cosmetics at Nordstrom Beachwood Place invited me to their Spring Trend Event last week. I had so much fun learning about cosmeceutical skincare and getting a beautiful makeover. I mean, look at the naked face of the girl on the left (yikes!) and compare it with the girl on the right (that's more like it).**
    
Here's what beauty expert Gia Iarussi used to prep my skin: first she cleaned my face with Dior's Instant Cleansing Water and followed up with this gentle toning lotion. Then my face got the luxury treatment. "Feel your skin," Gia said after applying the One Essential and Hydra Life line of products to my face. Soft as silk.

To even out my skin, Gia used Diorskin Nude Air. I've never used serum foundation before and I loved it. It feels lightweight and gives great coverage without feeling like you've got a lot of gunk on your face.

Next, Dior National Makeup Artist Garrett Clabaut gave me a ready-for-spring makeover. I asked for a natural look. Nothing overly made up. First he used a waterproof liner to tightline my eyes. Then he applied a pearly silver eyeshadow with this pencil, cleaned up my brows and used this mascara on my lashes.      

My hands-down favorite product was Dior's Cheek & Lip Glow. I'm a sucker for packaging and I admit, the tiny square bottle with sheer pink liquid inside gave me that girly, happy feeling. Garrett put a few dabs on the apples of my cheeks and my lips. The finishing touch was a swipe of the prettiest pink lipgloss. 

      

Thank you, Gia and Garrett (and Dior Cosmetics business manager Lisa Callow) for making this girl feel like a million bucks! 


Spring 2015 makeup trends. (Harper's Bazaar) 

This dress, right now (part 2)

As many of you know, I work part-time at Anthropologie -- my absolute favorite store on the planet. When I'm not freelancing or running my blog or being mom to my kids, you can find me in this magical place.

Truly, at Anthro I'm a kid in a candy shop (but in place of sweets it's dresses). Where else can a girl find delicious-smelling soaps and candles, gorgeous frocks and beautiful housewares and home furnishings all in one stop?

Last week I walked into the store and saw this lovely tie dye maxi dress. I didn't even try it on before I bought it because I just knew it had to be mine. My friend and co-worker Shauna got a chance to photograph it yesterday and here it is! I paired it with this necklace and denim tote (both of which I borrowed for the photo). 

Three more days 'til spring and I'm ready!     


Photo by Shauna Davis.
Fashion prodigy is an Anthro girl, too.

Friday selfie

Derek Zoolander isn't the only one who rocks Blue Steel. My friends and family (even my kids!) make fun of my "camera face" but the secret is... it's quite empowering. Yes pouty selfies come off as self-indulgent but kinda like the power pose putting your best face forward -- pout and all -- feels pretty good.

(Just don't take yourself too seriously.)

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

love, -j.  


I took that selfie in this gorgeous home.

The perfect purple pout

I'm happy to report that I've found the perfect purple lip color!! I use double exclamation points because I've been on the hunt for quite some time and yesterday I hit the jackpot. 

This matte lipstick from MAC is bold but not overpowering and is the most lovely shade of violet meets lavender. And what's not to love about its badass name? (Heroine.)

Kisses, -j. 


The power of makeup.

These shoes, right now

My cheap and chic find of the week: these super fun Kenneth Cole Reaction leopard print slip-ons. I found them at Nordstrom Rack for only 39 bucks.

I can't wait to wear them! Now, if it would only stop snowing... 


An ode to my sneakers.

New year, new look!

Drum roll please...

I am thrilled and OVER THE MOON to announce the new look of my blog! My site has undergone a complete makeover from its name (love, -j. which takes inspiration from how I sign letters and emails), to the new header (inspired by this greeting card from Rifle Paper Co. and illustrated by my crazy talented sister-in-law, Sunha Yoon Salaff of Sun&Ha studio) and overall site design (masterfully crafted by Cleveland-based graphic designer Carly Bartel).

You'll notice new features like a more streamlined design; Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, etc. share buttons on each article (we're keeping with the fun balloon theme here); larger photos and video; "You might also like" links; and my favorite vintage typewriter font unifying the look throughout the blog.

I'm really proud of all the hard work that went into this redesign and so grateful to Sunha and Carly for helping me to make this happen. And of course a HUGE thank you to all of YOU for reading and inquiring and inspiring me to keep going going going.

Time to uncork the champagne!

love, -j.

p.s. what's up with the VW Beetle? Well, my first car was a purple 1974 Beetle. My second car was the same one only silver. And my third was the updated 2001 version in black. Notice an obsession a theme, here? :)   


Illustration by Fabrice Fortin via Paris By Appointment Only.

Monday selfie (sort of)

I say "sort of" because technically it's not a selfie (but who's keeping tabs?). My eternally adorable and charming gal pal Bess (my go-to girl for the goings-on in Cleveland) convinced me to pose for this Instagram pic. I must say, she made me look quite glamorous (note: I had just inhaled two pancakes the size of my face at the time this photo was captured).  

The outfit: Fire Los Angeles jumpsuit; Bordeaux Lauretta cardigan; chunky beaded necklace and aviator sunglasses @ Anthropologie; Penny Loves Kenny T-strap wedge heels; L.A.M.B leather clutch; Stranger Tides nail lacquer by OPI.       

The occasion: Brunch at Jack Flaps with some of my favorite gals in Cleveland.

Why I like this look: At the top of my fashion must-have list is the jumpsuit. I found this one at TJ Maxx for $20 and decided it needed a home in my closet. The wedge heels were purchased the same afternoon at TJ Maxx (also 20 buckeroos). The L.A.M.B clutch was one of those triumphant discoveries at Nordstrom Rack several years ago (I think I spent $40). Which proves my theory that you don't have to spend a million bucks to feel like a million bucks.    


Thank you @bessmihyun for taking such a fab photo. :) XOXO